


The Hands of the Enemy; the Hands of a Friend

by Honyasbookshelf



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: "Pick Who Dies", Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Collars, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It, Gen, Kidnapping, Magic Revealed, Prompt #2: In the Hands of the Enemy, Reconciliation, Whumptober 2020, merlin whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:27:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28274583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Honyasbookshelf/pseuds/Honyasbookshelf
Summary: "'You must choose, young warlock,' the great dragon's voice resonated around him. 'The witch or the Once and Future King. For only one of them can live.'A shriek rose in Merlin's throat as he stood there watching helplessly as both his friends burned."After being kidnapped by Morgause and Morgana, Merlin realizes that he's done being manipulated. He's done choosing between his friends. And it may be too late, but that's not going to stop him from trying to get through to Morgana.
Relationships: Merlin & Morgana (Merlin)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	The Hands of the Enemy; the Hands of a Friend

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! So, this was *supposed* to be your usual kidnapped Merlin whump fic, but the plot kind of got away from me. Because apparently, I hate how messed up everything became with Morgana even more than I realized. (I know, it's necessary for plot progression, yadda, yadda. I still hate it.) So we somehow ended up with a fix-it, instead.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

_Merlin watched aghast as the flames began to rise. His feet seemed rooted to the ground, unable to move. On one hand stood Prince Arthur, on the other Morgana, both about to die, both pleading with him to save them._

“ _You must choose, young warlock,” the great dragon's voice resonated around him. “The witch or the Once and Future King. For only one of them can live.”_

_A shriek rose in Merlin's throat as he stood there watching helplessly as both his friends burned._

***

Merlin awoke with a jolt, reeling from the dream. It wasn't the first time he'd had this sort of dream, but this was the worst he'd had in a good while, since right after the knights of Idirsholas had attacked. His head pounded, and he could feel the cold sweat on his skin.

He moved to get up but was pulled back with a jerk of hard metal around his neck. His eyes opened fully for the first time since he'd awoken, taking in the bare stone chamber around him. A metal collar and heavy chain secured him to the stone wall. There was an iron-bound wooden door blocking the only entrance to the room. Other than Merlin himself, the room was completely empty, with not even a bucket on the floor.

Merlin groaned softly, trying to remember how he had gotten here, but it was no use. The last thing he remembered was going to bed in his own room off the infirmary after getting Arthur settled for the evening. It had been late, and he had fallen asleep almost immediately. After that . . . nothing.

He could be anywhere. There were any number of abandoned watchtowers scattered throughout the kingdom that would look like this. For all he knew, he might not even be in Camelot anymore. There was no real indication of who had kidnapped him or how he had gotten here, after all. He looked down and confirmed that yep, he was still barefooted and wearing his nightshirt. Great, just great. The nicest things always seemed to happen to him.

He felt for his magic. Well, it seemed that not _everything_ was going wrong. Whoever had taken him must not know that he had magic, because he still had full access to _that_ at least. He breathed in, ready to say the words that would unlock the collar, when he heard approaching footsteps. He paused, deciding to see who his captor was before he did anything.

The steps were light and graceful, almost certainly female. Before she even stepped in the room, Merlin was sure who he would see. His stomach clenched in a sickening mix of guilt and anxiety.

“Morgana,” he breathed as she stepped through the door, looking as perfect and beautiful as always. The cold look in her eyes nearly took his breath away.

“Hello, Merlin. I trust you're comfortable,” she said archly, clearly meaning the opposite. “It appears the sleeping spell Morgause gave me worked as intended. She will be here soon, but I thought it would be nice to have a little chat first, just you and me.”

Things could have gone any number of ways at that moment. Merlin could have lashed out, he could have bargained, he could have stayed stolidly silent awaiting Arthur's rescue. What actually happened was that his eyes filled with tears of true remorse.

“How did we get here?” he croaked. “Morgana, we were friends, true friends, and I messed everything up so badly. I- I never should have listened to that damn dragon.”

Morgana stared down at him, a look of confusion pinching her lovely face. She looked about to say something, but now that Merlin had gotten going, he couldn't seem to make himself stop.

“I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry I poisoned you. I'm sorry I betrayed your trust. I'm sorry I didn't help you with your magic. I'm sorry that you felt so alone that you had to turn to Morgause. You- you know she's dark and cruel, right? That she's using you? Just like the dragon used me. Morgana, I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but please come back. If not to me, then at least come back to Arthur and Gwen. This isn't you. Please.”

Merlin looked up at Morgana, tears tracing tracks down his face and eyes an ugly, reddened mess. He loathed himself for messing up his relationship with her so badly. He was done. Damn that dragon, he was done. He'd find a way to save Arthur _and_ Morgana or die trying.

Dying was looking like a probable option if he stayed here much longer. Morgause was coming, after all. And it wasn't like Morgana was actually going to change her mind at this point. Only. . . .

As he watched, Morgana's face crumpled, her expression broken. Something seemed to pass through her eyes, like the breaking of a spell—although whether it was actual magic or simply a change of heart, Merlin couldn't say. She knelt down so that she was eye-level with him, tears brimming in her own eyes and hands shaking.

“Merlin,” she breathed, her voice cracking slightly. “I- I do not know if I _can_ return now. I don't know who I can trust. And Morgause—I know what she is, but I don't know how to leave. And Uther would have me destroyed for my magic if he knew, and—” She was sobbing by this point, looking more like a lost child than the powerful woman he had seen overcome insurmountable odds so often in the past.

“We'll figure it out. Together,” Merlin reassured her, taken aback by her rapid change in demeanor but willing to go with it. Not that he trusted her change of heart completely, but . . . it was time to give her the benefit of the doubt. He'd messed this up enough already.

At his words, Morgana threw herself at him, rocking him back into the wall, the stones grinding uncomfortably into his back. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around to steady her and held her while she cried, her tears soaking through his nightshirt. After a few minutes, he shifted.

“Hey, we should get going, yeah? Before Morgause gets here? We can talk it all out when we get back, maybe pull in Arthur and Gwen, like old times. They love you and are worried about you, you know?”

“Right, of course. We should leave while we can,” Morgana sniffed. “Wait here; I'll go get the key.” She motioned to the collar around his neck, standing and once again becoming the resolute young woman he was accustomed to.

“Wait,” Merlin said, hesitating for a moment before deciding. “No more secrets between us. There's one more thing I'm sorry for not telling you before. _Cûð ûpweard_ ”

His eyes glowed golden, and the collar fell open, allowing him to stand properly. Morgana's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes huge and staring.

“You have magic.”

“Yeah, um, I've never told anyone before. I mean, Gaius knows, but he found out by accident. Are you going to tell Uther?” Morgana rolled her eyes, quickly regaining her composure.

“Don't be absurd. Of course, I won't tell him. Are you going to tell Arthur?”

“I don't know. Maybe?” He fiddled nervously with his hands. This was all just. A bit much, you know?

“Well,” Morgana said, striding towards the door, Merlin at her heels. “I suppose we shall deal with all that later. For now, we should go. Truce?” She looked over her shoulder at him, smiling hesitantly.

“Truce. Definitely,” he replied, returning her smile with a glowing one of his own. It wasn't a complete resolution. That might take years to achieve. But still, it was . . . something. It was a beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading. Let me know what you think! :)
> 
> The Old English text says "Open up."


End file.
